A broad range of liquids, creams, lotions and gels have been proposed for topical application to screen human skin from the burning effects of solar radiation while permitting some portion of the sun's rays to pass through to achieve the effect referred to as tanning. Few, if any, of the compositions heretofore proposed have dealt with the problem that even such tanning solar radiation can have detrimental effects on skin health such as causing the condition called premature aging or inducing actinic-sourced cancer of the skin.
Additionally, few, if any, skin care products have been formulated specifically to address the sun-induced degenerative problems encountered by skin in its maturing cycle. In the dermis, for example, ultraviolet rays produce elastotic degeneration, and a breakdown of elastic fibers that causes a person to appear aged in excess of his or her chronological years.
Nor have products been formulated to address the skin problems created in large numbers of older people by their regimen of daily medication. Some medications are not fully excreted by the body, and over time build up residues in the skin tissues which, when exposed to sunlight, cause phototoxic reactions such as blistering and burns. Drugs which have been reported implicated in photosensitive skin reactions include such commonly prescribed medications as tetracycline antibiotics, phenothiazine derivative tranquilizers, thiazide diuretics, certain antihistamines, certain anticonvulsants, sulfonylurea antidiabetics, estrogens, oral contraceptives and sulfonamides.
It has been thought, heretofore, that ultraviolet damage to the skin was irreversible. Recent research reported in the literature demonstrates, however, that animal skin has intrinsic mechanisms to halt and even reverse dermal damage, once the actinic radiation insult is stopped. Skin care products available in the marketplace have not, for the most part, addressed this need for therapeutic restoration of sun-damaged skin. An effective topical skin preparation should contain moisturizers, humectants, oils, penetrants and other ingredients which will assist the skin in its self-restorative processes.
Modern industrial societies augment nature's climatic and environmental skin irritants such as dry hot winds, salt spray, winter cold and the like. Air pollution, chemicals, heating and air conditioning systems, detergents and household cleaning products dry the skin and damage tissue in a variety of ways. Skin care products, to be properly prophylactic, should contain medically active skin protectants which will act as light weight, nonocclusive mechanical barriers against environmental irritants.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide compositions which will overcome the shortcomings of prior preparations which did not adequately screen the skin from solar radiation across the spectrum from 290 nanometers through 365 nanometers.
Another object of this invention is to provide compositions which will contain safe and effective protectant and demulcent ingredients to soften, protect and allow nature to repair damaged skin and to stimulate growth of healthy tissue.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide compositions which will contain ingredients to penetrate the skin deeply to deliver the active ingredients and to compensate for the diminished production of sebum in mature or prematurely aged skin.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide compositions for skin treatment which will include cosmetically effective oils, moisturizers and humectants to promote softness, retain moisture, act as emollients and to halt and even reverse dermal damage caused by previous failure to protect the skin from solar radiation and environmental irritants.
A further object of the present invention is to provide compositions of the types described which will not break down over extended periods of time and will have adequate shelf life to permit proper commercial exploitation.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide methods for the treatment of human skin to prevet degenerative skin conditions designated as premature aging and to aid in the prevention of actinic-sourced skin cancer.
Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will appear as the specification proceeds.